1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic processing apparatus which processes photosensitive material for processing by sequentially conveying and dipping the material into a plurality of processing solution tanks accommodating processing solutions.
2. Description of the Related Art
An automatic processing apparatus for processing photosensitive material is provided with a developing tank, a fixing tank, a washing tank and the like. Processing solutions in the respective processing tanks are typically degraded according to the amount of processing of photosensitive material. In order to compensate for the degradation, replenishing stocks of the processing solution and diluting water are respectively supplied to the processing tanks through discrete conduits. The respective tanks include processing racks which hold a plurality of rollers for guiding the photosensitive material into the tanks. Further, over the tanks there are crossover racks which hold a roller for guiding the photosensitive material from one tank to the next tank. Rollers for conveying the photosensitive material, and a guide plate are attached to the processing racks and the crossover racks. Hence, the photosensitive material inserted into the automatic processing apparatus is conveyed and guided by the rollers of the processing rack into the respective tanks such as a developing tank in a substantially U-shaped form. Subsequently, the photosensitive material is delivered to the next tank by the rollers of the crossover rack. The rollers of the crossover rack are provided to squeeze off any processing solution which remains on the photosensitive material before the material is introduced into the next tank so as to prevent the processing solution from being brought into the next tank. In this case, the processing solution drawn by the photosensitive material may continue to adhere to rollers disposed in a vicinity of a liquid level of the processing solution, and rollers disposed over the liquid level. In particular, the processing solution may continue to adhere to the rollers disposed in the crossover rack and those disposed in a vicinity of partition walls which partition one processing tank from another. As a result, after the processing solution dries, deposits of contaminants may form on the roller. These deposits cause several problems. For example, they adversely effect the finish of the photosensitive material, or the driving of the processing apparatus. Therefore, it is necessary to wash the rollers disposed in the vicinity of the liquid level, and those disposed over the liquid level.
Hence, the rollers are washed by disposing one of a pair of squeezing rollers in the crossover rack so as to be immersed into a rinse tank, or by spraying washing water onto the squeezing rollers by an amount corresponding to an evaporated amount of processing solution. In the latter case, the water corresponding to the evaporated amount is not directly fed into the processing tank. Instead, the rollers convey after being sprayed with water. Accordingly, the rollers are washed by clean water thereby removing the contaminates and the deposits. Thereafter, the water is guided into the processing tank which replenishes water, and can serve as a supply of water corresponding to the evaporation.
However, while the amount of water corresponding to evaporation is affected by environmental conditions, the amount of influence is generally not so much. In addition, the amount of water is often not sufficient to remove the contaminates on the rollers. Further, if a supply of the diluting water is adjusted according to evaporation, the washing water for the rollers is guided into the processing tank by the amount corresponding to that evaporated even when the evaporation is large. Consequently, the concentration of the processing solution is diluted, and the water after washing must be directly recovered as waste fluid.